The Sea Lions had a jam-packed week full of learning and growing together! To help set the scene for a year of exciting challenges and new experiences together, we began a deep exploration of the human brain - specifically the limbic system. We were fortunate enough to have Dr. Liesl McCormick, Professor of Biology at Pacific and local “brain expert” share her knowledge about the way our brains work. She talked about the importance and positive impact that our twice-daily meditations have on our brain’s ability to concentrate, remain calm and maintain good friendships. Dr. McCormick brought preserved specimens of actual brains into our classroom. The Sea Lions got an up-close look at the brains of a cat, a sheep and even that of a human! We were shocked by the difference in size between the human and animal brains. Dr. McCormick answered our many questions and we learned so much.
Continuing our journey through the limbic system, we put into practice how the brain creates new neural pathways through participation in a relay race. This race helped us understand that slowing down allows our bodies to concentrate on the task at hand. Teams were tasked with moving water from one end of the classroom to the other using only a small spoon. During the initial relay, teams yelled and hollered and we ran as fast as we could. Just a few drops of water actually made it into the container at the other end of the classroom using this strategy. In the second attempt, we saw very different results when we stopped thinking of the challenge as a race. We reduced our voices to a whisper and concentrated on the task at hand - being careful not to let a single drop of water fall onto carpet. The difference in the final water collection was huge. The Sea Lions could easily see the benefits of taking their time, limiting distractions and concentrating, allowing their prefrontal cortex to do its work smoothly and efficiently.
Our brain work didn’t stop there. On Wednesday we had a special visit from Pacific’s Audiology Department. Dr Briana Hester, and six of her graduate students, talked to us about ears and hearing. We studied the path of sound, charting is course through the environment, to our ears and into our brain. We then we split into small groups and rotated through stations focusing on communication, balance, hearing loss and hearing protection. We built a greater understanding of how our brains and hearing work together to help us navigate the world around us.
On Friday, the Sea Lions took their first field trip of the year and visited the Portland Art Museum where we experienced the French Moderns exhibit. We saw original works by Monet, Matisse, Renoir, Rodin and more! As we studied art that was nearly 200 years old, we reflected on the history of France and the world at the time. We talked about the way artists have worked throughout history to challenge our perspective and how they ask us to see the world in a new way. We discussed how the optic nerve constantly sends messages about what we are viewing to the limbic system where it is filtered by our amygdala and then sent to our hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Without even realizing it, the art prompted our brains to retrieve memories and feelings related to the images we saw. Sometimes the art challenged us to think about things in a new way. The Sea Lions had an amazing conversation about the art they saw and how they all felt about it.
Our work on the brain and limbic system didn’t stop there! Back in the classroom, the Sea Lions practiced summarizing concepts learned through reading. We read non-fiction texts about the limbic system, searching for the main idea and key details in the text. They worked with partners and presented a summary of their findings to their friends. We refined public speaking skills, concentrated on organizing our thoughts, slowing down, speaking loudly & clearly and maintaining good eye contact.
And as if all of that wasn’t enough 😅, we began work in our math groups, puzzling over the Number Corner calendar grids, looking for patterns and connections to help us think about math in new and interesting ways.
The Sea Lions’ first full week together was exceptional and this is just the beginning. We are so excited for what this new school year will bring!
